Industrial elevator arrangement



March 28, 1933. R. G. coRY ET AL 1,903,092

INDUSTRIAL ELEVATOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed Oct. 12, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet l 26 PASS/46E mum R5 w mum 2 10 March 28, 1933. R. G. CORY ET AL INDUSTRIAL ELEVATOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed Oct. 12, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Z ZAM v w 7 a J M H Z ATT RNEY 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 R G CORY EI'AL INDUSTRIAL ELEVATOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed Oct. 12, 1929 arr F/I' a March 28, 1933.

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INDUSTRIAL ELEVATOR ARRANGEMENT Original Filed Oct. 12, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTO Patented Mar. 28, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RUSSELL G. CORY, F MONTGLAIR, AND WALTER M. CORY, 0F MAHWAH, NEW JERSEY INDTTSTRTAL ELEVATOR. ARRANGEMENT Application filed October 12, 1929, Serial No. 399,196. Renewed August 6, 1932.

Our invention relates to new and improved constructions or arrangements of buildings, usually of the type of warehouses or factory A buildings, and of elevators for such buildings, and especially elevators designed to handle goods trucks with increased efficiency.

The general purpose of the invention is to enable motor trucks to be moved on elevators V to the various floors of the building and conveniently run off of the elevators to convenient adjacent positions on each floor where they may be unloaded or loaded, and then run back upon the elevator and lowered for exit from the building; and especially to enable these truck movements to be made to and from relatively restricted areas of each floor, such areas usually including a plurality of distinct truck spaces adjacent each elevator, so that there is a minimum provision of floor space for truck manoeuvring.

In certain preferred forms, the invention provides the desired elevator and truck space construction or arrangement in connection c with truck landing floors or platforms located below the main floor levels, on the general plan disclosed in our prior application, Serial No. 321,7 l8, filed November 24th, 1928; but this is not essential in all cases and when n desired, the truck landing spaces may be arranged on the main floor levels in proper relation to the elevator or elevators.

The invention includes special plan forms or contours of elevator cars or car'frames (usually called slings), designed to provide space economy and to give the desired truck manoeuvring facility, with or without a cab mounted in the sling for independent motion and especially for a horizontal, lateral, swinging or pivotal motion, to reposition the motor truck after it has been run into the cab,

for the delivery of the truck toa desired position or space on the building floor.

The characteristics and advantages of the M invention are further sufficiently explained in connection with the following detail description of the accompanying drawings, which show representative embodiments. After considering these examples, skilled persons will understand that many variations may be made without departing from the principles disclosed and we contemplate the employment of any structures that are properly within the scope of the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a part of a warehouse or similar building, and elevator structure or arrangement, embodying the invention in one form.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, enlarged, of the elevator and shaft and adjacenttruck landing floors or areas.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section at 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. t is a view similar to Fig. 2, of a modified arrangement.

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show other modified arrangements.

In Figs. 1, we illustrate in plan a portion of a factory, Warehouse or similar building in which a motor truck elevator is located. \V'e show a single elevator and coo erative construction or arrangement of adjacent part of the building structure involved, but evidently, the elevators and other structural features may be arranged in groups in batteries. One important purpose of the invention is to provide for the handling of a relatively large number of trucks to and from a plurality of economically arranged landing spaces or stalls on each floor, so that the carrying capacity of a single elevator may be fully utilized and that it may also at the same time conveniently and rapidly deliver trucks to and remove them selectively from a plurality of landing spaces on each of the various floors.

The elevator car 10 conventionally illus trated in Fig. 1, is in one form as shown, of the special plan form which we conveniently designatef :Eon descriptivep-urposes as hour glass form. Th at is, it includes a central portion 11 which is only moderately wider than the over-all width of a standard motor truck, and end portions 12 which have an outwardly flaring or diverging form as defined by the side edges 13. As otherwise described, the elevator car proper or the outside outlines of its frame, has flaring ends leading from a relatively narrow or restricted waist portion, at 11. The area indicated by horizontal surface shade lines in Fig. 1 may represent the floor of the elevator car upon which the motor truck may be run directly in any of several positions, as will appear. This is better illustrated in Fig. L where 10a is an elevator car floor of the same shape as that shown in Fig. 1 without any independent or movable cab mounted on the floor or in the elevator sling. As shown in Fig. 1 and also in Figs. 2 and 3, in some preferred cases, we mount movably in the sling an independently movable car or cab 15. The movement of this cab is in a horizontal plane and usually i has a swinging movement, on a center which may be at the center of the elevator car, as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, or otherwise located, as will appear. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the cab 15 is mounted on a center or pivot bearing 16 and has under the end portions 12 wheels or rolls 17 supporting and guiding the end portions of the cab on rails 18 on the elevator sling 10, so that the cab swings horizontally on its center as a piv ot. Desirably, the ends of the elevator car or the cab 15 are arcuate as at 20, Fig. 1 for the greatest space economy.

The hour-gass or waist form of the elevator car provides room for the necessary vertical guide rails 21 to be located at the waist portions of the car without making the overall width-wise dimension of the elevator shaft, as indicated by its side walls 22, any greater than the greatest lateral width of the elevator car or cab frame structure, and at the same time provides for necessary motor truck movements, as will appear.

Adjacent one or preferably both ends of the I elevator car, any or all of the building floors,

one of which is illustrated in Fig. 1, has one or a plurality of truck receiving spaces hen the motor trucks are to be run off the elevator onto the building floor at the main floor level, these truck spaces need not be definitely defined. The side walls 24 shown in Fig. 1 however define the maximum space needed on the main or a sub-floor of the building to receive two trucks to be handled to and from one end of a single elevator car. In one preferred form of the invention, for reasons fully explained in the above identified application, that is especially to facilitate the rapid handling of trucks and goods to and from the trucks by unloading on a floor surface level with the truck floor, the truck spaces 23 of Fig. 1 consist of pits or depressed or subfloors, otherwise herein called landing floors. 25, Fig. 3. These floors are depressed as shown in Fig. 3, a distance below the main floor level 26 equal to the distance from the treads of the motor truck wheels to the average truck floor level, so that when the trucks are backed into the pits 25, goods may be moved to and from the truck floors with max imum convenience. In this case, the side walls 24 of Fig. 1 together with the rear walls 27 define the limits of the pits, each of which is dimensioned to receive a standard motor truck. The distinct pits 25a and 25b angularly and divergently arranged, as shown in Fig. 1 need not be separated by any central walls (as will later be referred to) but in one preferred arrangement as shown in that figure, where only two definite spaces such as 25a and 256 are provided for trucks at one or each end of the elevator car, angularly arranged central walls 28 and may be provided, delining the inner limits of each pit; and the space between the pits may be utilized as a shaft 29 for pipes or any other desired fittings extending vertically through the building.

When an independent truck cab is mounted in the sling as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the cab is preferably provided with side walls such as 30 forming complete side enclosures for the cab, and the elevator controlling mechanism and the operator are located or stationed within the cab, so that it is unnecessary and in fact impossible for the operator to stand on the sling or any floor which might be placed thereon, and risk of injury to the operator by swinging of the cab is therefore obviated; also since the motor truck in the cab need have only a straight line motion in relation to the cab, there is little risk of injury to the operator by contact with the motor truck as it moves in or out.

In structure as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3, when the elevator is at the ground floor level, the cab 15 may be swung to any desired angular position, in relation to the elevator car proper, to receive a motor truck which may be run upon it from any convenient position on the ground floor. The truck may be run forward or backward into the cab, usually forward, and the only care in regard to the position of the truck in the cab is with reference to the end of the cab from which the truck is to be run at an upper floor since the truck must be backed off of the cab in order to properly locate it in a truck space such as 23, and especially to back its tail end up against the rear wall 27 of a landing pit, when the pit arrangement is used. When the elevator is moved to any floor at which there is a vacant car space at the proper end of the elevator, the cab 15 is swung to align a truck with that space, and the truck is then backed straight off into the space.

With the described arrangement it is unnecessary when the truck is placed in the cab, to previously determine which of the spaces such as 23 on any floor is vacant for truck reception, since the cab may be swung to properly position the truck for movement into any of the spaces when the floor is reached.

The above described hour glass or similar plan form of the elevator car or cab and generally corresponding or divergent arrangement of the truck spaces such as 23 provides additional space economy in the building since other facilities, such as the ordinary freight or passenger elevators such as may cal be arranged in a curved row formation at one side of the elevator shaft and truck spaces, this row of elevator shafts being incurved into the space provided by the stated truck elevator shaft andtruck space arrangement and providing floor or passage space of increased width as at 36 adjacent the central portion of the row of service elevators. Similarly at the other side of the truck elevator and truck space arrangement, general facilities for the building such as toilet rooms at 37 and locker rooms 38,0fiice elevators 39, etc., may be arranged to realize full space economy.

Fig. 4 shows an arrangement similar to that of Fig. 1, with omission of the movably mounted cab. In this instance, the area 100 represents the contour of the elevator floor. Trucks must be run upon the elevator in positions which have reference to the location of the vacant truck space on one or another of the upper floors. Evidently when the motor truck is run on the elevator in an angular position corresponding to any one of the vacant spaces on a floor it may easily be backed off into that space without any lateral or twining moving whatever. The waist 01' hour glass form of the elevator car permits such angular positioning of the motor truck with an over-all width of the central or waist portion of the car which is very slightly greater than the over-all width of the truck. Fig. 5 shows a modification in which the elevator car floor or sling frame b is of generally triangular form as defined by its side edges 40. This arrangement also may be used with or without an independent cab 41. When such cab is provided, it will in this case be pivotally mounted at oneend of the elevator car proper, as at 42. Guide rails for the elevator car are provided at intermediate points of the sides at at 43. In this arrangement, two or more, or specifically as shown, three truck spaces 23a, 23b and 230 are provided at one (the wider) end of the elevator, and a single car space 2311! is provided at the other, narrow end. When there is no swinging cab on the elevator car, the truck may be properly positioned in the act of running it upon the elevator car fioor 106 so that it may be backed off into either of the spaces 23a, 236, or 230, at the wide end of the elevator, or into the single space 2361 at the other end; or if a movable cab 41 is provided, the truck may be positioned when it reaches any fioor to be backed into any of the vacant spaces.

Fig. 6 sufiiciently shows a modification'of the hour glass elevator arrangement in which the car floor or frame 100 is made in outward- 1y diverging curved or bell form in either direction from the central or waist portion 11. When a cab such as a is provided, it may be pivotally mounted at the center of the car as in Fig. 1, and the sides a of the cab may be of approximately corresponding curved or bell shape, as shown. This arrangement gives greater facility for truck manoeuvring,sincethecurved side walls of the elevator car or cab permit the front end of the motor truck to swing as it backed off from or run forward upon the car floor or into the cab. The floor areas provided adjacent the shaft for reception of the trucks may therefore be of smaller total lateral area than would otherwise be possible. Thus, space is provided at each end of the elevator car or cab sufiicient to receive three trucks side by side as sufiiciently indicated by the dot and dash lines 50, and the side walls of the pit 51 or other lateral limits of the truck receiving space may also be curved in their parts adjacent the elevator shaft as indicated at 52 to allow for some swinging of the front end of the truck as it is backed into or run forward away from either of the side spaces on the floor. This arrangement also illustrates the provision of at least three truck spaces at each end of the elevator car, so that by the proper positioning of the motor truck on the elevator car floor, it may be run into any one of the three spaces; and when the central space on any floor is not occupied by a truck, the truck may be backed into it or either of the side spaces which may be vacant without reference to its previous positioning on the elevator. Of course, when a separate swinging cab is used,the cab may be swung as in previous examples, to discharge a motor truck into any space that may be vacant regardless of what other ones are or are not occupied.

Fig. 7 illustrates another arrangement in which a relatively large number of truck spaces or pit spaces may be provided at either or both ends of an elevator car or cab. In this case, the car floor plan and cab arrangement, may be similar to that of Fig. 1. At

either or both ends of the car or cab, the

available floor space for trucks is defined by the lines or walls and 61 and these lines in turn define car spaces or slips as at 62, 63 and 64, in angular arrangement at either side of a central space or aisle 65, as defined by the dot and dash lines. This central aisle may lead to a rear central truck slip or space 66. Evidently, if the floor area between the lines 60, 61, etc. is depressed, providing a depressed landing as in Fig. 3, the stated lines represent walls which are the limits of the entire pit area. By this arrangement, a relatively large number of trucks may be located in the various floor or pit spaces such as 62, 63, 66, etc. and after leaving the elevator, the trucksmay be backed into any space without interfering with trucks in the other spaces, by reason of the central aisle 65. In fact, this arrangement provides considerable space for truck manoeuvring in the truck or pitspace at.

either end of the elevator, with relatively moderately total area of such spaces.

It is practically necessary for considerations of safety to provide adequate doors at the elevator shaft. W e provide such doors in leaf form, each of the leaves such as and 71 of Fig. 2 for example being or" horizontal sectional shape co responding to the shaft and elevator car tom 1; that is, when the ends of the car or cab are arcuate, the door leaves are correspondingly curved or arcuate. Each leaf is substantially of truck width and the leaves are mounted in guides to slide horizontally, so that either leaf may be pushed to one side to overlap the other and permit movement of a truck to and from the elevator and to or from any of the landing spaces. hen more than two landing spaces are provided, say three, as in Fig. 5 or Fig. 6, for example, the doors will of course, consist of three leaves as 70, 71 and 72 and in such cases it is only necessary that two of them shall have an overlapping relation although of course all three leaves may be made to overla) so that all may be placed in overlapping relation to permit two-thirds of the width of the end of the elevator car to be accessible to truck movements to and from the car or corresponding floor spaces.

By any of the described arrangements, a single elevator may be used up to approximately its full capacity to serve a number of floors, each of which may have a plurality of truck landing spaces. Various additional ,modifications oi the structure or arrange ments shown will be apparent to skilled persons, without further detailed explanation.

lVe claim:

1. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and having a fixed floor dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive a truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator.

2. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and having fixed floor dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at both ends of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator.

3. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and having a fixed floor dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive a truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, said restricted landing spaces consisting of landing floors located at levels below the main floor levels so as to position trucks floors substantially at the main floor levels.

l. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive a truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, and a cab independently mounted in the elevator sling for limited lateral movement to selectively position a truck in relation to landing spaces on the building floors.

5. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive a truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, and a cab independently mounted in the elevator sling for limited lateral movement to selectively position a truck in relation to landing spaces on the building floors, the cab having protecting side walls and being dimensioned to accommodate the elevator operator and controlling mechanism.

6. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive a truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end or the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions 011 the elevator, and a substantially enclosed truck cab pivotally mounted on the elevator sling for limited movement.

7. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and having a fixed floor dimensioned with minimum total horizontal area to receive a truck in any of several angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, said truck spaces on the floors being arranged to receive at least tWo trucks in mum area for parking a plurality of trucks.

9. A building structure comprising a plurality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of substantial hour-glass plan form to receive a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on several of the floors at one end of the elevator car and providing in substantially minimum area for parking a plurality of trucks, and a cab pivotally mounted in the car sling and of approximate hourglass form in plan.

10. A building structure comprising a plurality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of substantial hourglass plan form to receive a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on several of the floors at one end of the elevator car and providing in substantially minimum area for parking a plurality of trucks, and additional building facilities such as elevators occupying available space at the sides of the elevator car or shaft and truck landing spaces and provided by the generally centrally convergent form of such shaft and spaces.

11. A building structure comprising a plurality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of substantial hour-glass plan form to receive a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on several of the floors at both ends of the elevator car and providing in substantial minimum area for parking a plurality of trucks in angular positions substantially corresponding to their positions when on the elevator car.

12. A building structure comprising a plurality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of substantial hour-glass plan form to receive a a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on several of the floors at both ends of the elevator car and providing in substantial minimum area for parking a plurality of trucks in angular positions substantially corresponding to their positions when on the elevator car, and a cab pivotally mounted in the car sling and of approximate hour-glass form in plan.

13. A building structure comprising a plutotal horizontal area, and restricted truck rality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of substantial hourglass plan form to receive a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces 6 on several of the floors at both ends of the elevator car and providing in substantial minimum area for parking a plurality of trucks in angular positions substantially corresponding to their positions when on the 01 elevator car, and additional building facilities such as elevators occupying available space at the sides of the elevator car or shaft and truck landing spaces and provided by the generally centrally convergent form of such e shaft and spaces.

14. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and having a fixed floor dimensioned to receive a truck in any of 5&5 several angular positions with minimum total horizontal area, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, and elevator shaft doors at the building floors having a plurality of independently horizontally movable overlapping leaves, each leaf being of width substantially corresponding to truck width and allowing for movement of the truck to and from the elevator and to and from any of the landing spaces.

15. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and having a fixed floor dimensioned to receive a truck in any of several angular positions with minimum landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, the ends of the elevator car and adjacent building floor edges being generally arcuate, and leaf doors on the floors adjacent the shaft or elevator car, the leaves being substantially of truck width, arcuate, and slidably mounted for horizontal movement to admit passage of the truck to and from the elevator or car or cab and to and from any of the landing spaces.

.'16. In a building of the class described, having a plurality of floors, a truck elevator serving the various floors, and dimensioned to receive a truck in any of several angular positions with minimum total horizontal area, and restricted truck landing spaces on various of the floors at one end of the elevator and dimensioned to receive trucks in various positions in substantial alignment with their positions on the elevator, and a cab independently mounted in the elevator sling for limited lateral movement to selectively and from any of the landing spaces.

.20 of trucks, and a cab pivotally mounted in the minimum area for parking a plurality of wider than the average width of the veh cles,

position a truck in relation to landing spaces landing pit adjacent at least one end of the on the building floors, the ends of the elevaelevator. tor car or cab and adjacent building floor In testimony whereof we afiix our signaedges being generally arcuate, and leaf doors tures.

.5. on the floors adjacent the shaft or elevator RUSSELL G. CORY.

car, the leaves being substantially of truck WALTER M. CORY. width and slidably mounted for horizontal movement to admit passage of the truck to and from the elevator or car or cab and to 17. A. building structure comprising a plurality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of substantial hour-glass plan form to re- 15 ceive a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on several of the floors at one end of the elevator car and providing in substantially minimum area for parking a plurality slin 15. A building structure comprising a plurality of floors, a truck elevator shaft, and a car therein serving the floors, the car being of 25 substantial hour-glass plan form to receive a truck in any of several different angular positions, and restricted truck landing spaces on several of the floors at both ends of the elevator car and providing in substantial trucks in angular positions substantially corresponding to their positions when on the elevator car, and a cab pivotally mounted in the sling.

35 19. In combination, a building having a plurality of floors, an elevator shaft, an elevator mounted in the shaft and adapted to carry vehicles to the floors, the base of the elevator being formed with one open end said elevator base converging inwardly from the widened end.

20. In combination, a building having a plurality of floors, an elevator shaft, an ele- 45 vator mounted in the shaft and adapted to carry vehicles to the floors, the base of the elevator being formed with a restricted middle portion wide enough to accommodate a vehicle, the elevator diverging outwardly from the restricted portion toward the entrance and exit ends, thereby permitting the elevator to receive and discharge vehicles in directions at angles to the center line of the 55 elevator passing through the entrance and exit ends.

21. In combination, a building having a plurality of floors, an elevator shaft, an elevator mounted in the shaft and adapted to 60 carry vehicles to the floors, the base of the elevator being formed with a restricted middle portion wide enough to accommodate a vehicle, the elevator diverging outwardly from the restricted portion toward the en- 65 trance and exit ends, and a depressed truck 

